Kidney stones refer to the formation of hard mineral deposits inside your kidneys. They induce excruciating pain when they start passing through an individual’s urinary tract. Many people are affected by the stones in their kidneys.
Once you have developed one kidney stone, there are 50% chances that you will develop another in the next ten years.
A good combination of lifestyle changes and diet can help you to decrease the risk of getting kidney stones. It is possible to prevent this issue using some healthy tips related to your health.
Prevention Of Kidney Stones
If you make little adjustments to your nutrition and current diet, you may prevent kidney stones for a longer time. Here, we have mentioned the best tips that can help you to prevent kidney stones.
1. Stay Hydrated
Drinking a great amount of water is one of the best ways to reduce the chances of getting kidney stones. The urine output of people becomes low when they do not drink enough. It means your urine becomes more concentrated.
That is the reason it does not dissolve some urine salts well that cause the stones in your kidneys. Orange juice and lemonade are good options to reduce the chances of kidney stones because they are composed of citrate which helps to prevent this issue.
2. Consume More Amount Of Calcium-Rich Foods
Calcium oxalate stone is the common kidney stone type that induces misconception in people of not using calcium in their food. But this is not true. Low diets of calcium enhance your risk of getting kidney stones. It can also cause osteoporosis.
However, some calcium supplements are involved in increasing the risk of kidney stones. You can take these supplements with meals to reduce the risks. Good food options that contain calcium supplements are low-fat cheese, low-fat yogurt, and low-fat milk.
3. Use Less Sodium
High salt diets put you at risk of getting calcium kidney stones. Urology Care Foundation reported that high salt amounts in the urine inhibits calcium reabsorption to your blood from urine.
It leads to the accumulation of high amounts of calcium in your urine that can cause kidney stones. Your urine levels become low when you consume a fewer amount of salts. It makes the chances of getting kidney stones lower.
4. Use Less Oxalate-Rich Foods
Some kidney stones can be made of oxalate which is a natural compound. It is found in certain foods that bind with calcium present in an individual’s urine. It leads to the formation of kidney stones.
Limit foods that are rich in oxalate because they can help you to prevent the formation of kidney stones. Foods that contain high amounts of oxalate are chocolate, wheat bran, beets, coffee, spinach, rhubarb, and soy products.
5. Maintain Healthy Weight
Obesity or being overweight puts stress on your kidneys. It is important to lose weight using safe ways. Crash dieting and a diet that contains high amounts of protein can enhance the risk of developing kidney stones.
6. Do Not Consume Excessive Caffeine
Caffeine speeds up the process of your metabolism that can lead to dehydration issues. The recommended amount of caffeine for adults is 400mg daily. It is equal to a coffee cup.
7. Consume Less Animal Protein
Foods that contain a great amount of animal protein are acidic. They may enhance urine acid in people. High urine acid calcium oxalate and uric acid kidney stones. Try to not eat a greater amount of beef, fish, poultry, and pork.
8. Do Not Use Vitamin C Supplements
Vitamin C supplements can lead to kidney stones specifically in men. Try to use less of such supplements to prevent kidney stones formation.
9. Use Herbal Remedies
Chanca piedra is famous as a ‘stone breaker’. It is a well-known herbal remedy to reduce the problems of kidney stones. It is considered in the prevention of calcium-oxalate stones formation.
10. Using Medication
If you think that natural remedies are not working for you and your symptoms of kidney issues are getting severe, visit your doctor. Take prescriptions from a doctor. He may recommend over-the-counter medications to prevent kidney stones.
Some of the medicines that can be used for kidney stones are:
- Uricosuric drugs
- Steroids
- Diuretics
- Anticonvulsants
- Protease inhibitors
- Chemotherapy drugs
